R/R HL remains an unmet clinical need despite recent medical advances. These data suggest the combination BV + Nivo is a well tolerated and an active salvage therapy with a high rate of CR (62%) that has no adverse impact on stem cell collection. The safety and activity of this novel combination support further exploration in an ongoing pivotal phase 3 trial in pts with R/R HL who have either already received or are considered ineligible for ASCT (NCT03138499).

In total, 29% of pts from CheckMate 205 Cohort A/B/C were TBP. New lesions were the most common reason for initial progression in pts TBP. Stable reductions in tumor burden were seen with continued treatment in pts TBP, and median TTNT and OS remained high. Proposed updates to response criteria may help to better assess the long-term efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors. These data suggest that pts considered to show stable performance status, non-rapid progression, and clinical benefits despite progression according to conventional response criteria may derive long-term benefits from continued nivo treatment.

Nivo monotherapy followed by N-AVD combination therapy was well-tolerated in pts with newly diagnosed, untreated, advanced-stage cHL. Nearly all pts completed nivo monotherapy treatment and started combination therapy with N-AVD. The safety profile was consistent with historical experience of nivo and AVD separately, with no new safety signals. Nivo followed by N-AVD may provide a tolerable alternative treatment option to standard-of-care multi-agent chemotherapy for pts with newly diagnosed advanced-stage cHL.

Our retrospective study showed that pts with an unsatisfactory response or PD with anti-PD-1 therapy had a new objective response with CT alone (61%) or CT in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy (90%). This response could make some pts eligible for allograft. Prospective clinical trials are needed to confirm the synergistic effect of CT with anti-PD-1 therapy and to determine which CT provides the best results in combination with these checkpoint inhibitors.

Targeting CD19 positive cells with non-viral, RNA-electroporated, transiently expressed CART19 cells is a feasible and safe strategy in pts with relapsed/refractory HL. We saw encouraging responses, but these were short-lived. We are planning a study for HL pts utilizing virally transduced CART19 cells that are capable of in vivo expansion in combination with PD-1 inhibitors.

NLPHL has an excellent prognosis. Bulky and extranodal disease were identified as potential risk factors for progression. With the limitations of a retrospective analysis, it can be concluded that AS is a viable management strategy in NLHPL. The majority of AS patients require no treatment after multiple years of observation and those that do, can be adequately managed with established treatments. Additionally, no evidence was found for an increased rate of transformation or worse PFS2 or OS in AS patients. Treatment related deaths exceeded deaths from lymphoma.

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In the largest study so far undertaken, US researchers have shown that testosterone replacement slows the recurrence of prostate cancer in low-risk patients. This may call into question the general applicability of Nobel-Prize winning hormonal prostate treatment. The work is presented at the European Association of Urology congress in Barcelona.